Improvement in apparatus for distilling petroleum and other oils



A. QUINN. APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING PETROLEUM AND OTHER OILS.

No. 36,481. Patented Sept. 16, 1862.

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;- UNITED STATES ABRAHAM qnmmor'nnw YonK, NQY.

IMPROVEMENT lN VAPPARATUS'FOR msnluuc PETROLEUM A OTHER OILS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 36.48 1, dated September 16, 1 862."

of an apparatus with the improvements applied. Fig. 2 exhibits a sectional view of a modification of part of the apparatus.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondingparts'in the two figures.

This invention consists in an improvement in the rectifierwhichconstitutes thesubjectmatter of my Letters Patent dated April 9,

1861; also, in an improved purifier combined with such rectifier;'and,' further, in an improved arrangement of one or more such rectifiers and mode of applying the oil to the rectifiers and the retort, by which several improvements, besides accomplishing all that is .accomplished by my above-described rectifier,

I am enabled, first, to supply the still continuously with oil freed from water or explosive vapors during the process of distillation;

second,-to cause a continual stream of oil to run from separate condensing-chambers after having been completelyrectified and agitated in contact. with chemicals while distilling and condensing; third,-to distill oils at the lowest heat necessaryto convert them into vapor, and so lesseningthe quantity of permanent gas produced in the distilling process; fourth, to cause the vapor of theheavier oils on their way toward the condensing apparatus to meet the, crude oils on-their way to the still, and so to heat the latter oil to such an extent as to extract the vapor of the lighter oils; and, fifth, to extract fromcrude petroleum o'rcoal-oil all of the products which are best suited for illuminating purposes and leave amore unctuous oil for lubricating or other purposes.

To enable others skilled in'the art to make and use my invention, I will. proceed to dc scribe its construction and its operation in the distillation of crude petroleum or coal-oil.

A is the retort of the still, having. its hot tomjnearly flat inside, so that an alloy composed of tin and lead, when in a state of fusion, may spread thinly over it'to preventthe a thin sheet, and the flue Z of the furnace sur-f rounding it to keep it heated. 0n the bottom of the neck Bthere are 'two'dams, a and which will be hereinafter described.

O P Qisone of my improved reetifiers; connected with the still-neck B; and C P Q isan' other of such rectifiers,"arrangedin a higher position and connected with O P Qi- These rectifiers, instead of -beingcom-posed of simple inverted siphons, like that which constiv tutes the subject of my LettersPa-tent hereinbefore referred to, are-composed each of anouter close. vessel, 0 or C, an inner open pan, P or P, and a pipe, Q or Q, which'correspends with the overflow-pipe F of that rectifier. The pans P I P, which constitute the principal feature of novelty in these rectifiers, serve the two purposes of enabling the'pro cesses of distilling and rectifying'to be made continuous and of containing chemicals in a liquid form for the purification of the oils;

and to facilitate the latter operation-they are furnished with perforated diaphragms p p p p" p 1), arranged one above another,to cause the oil to mingle with and be detained as it as .cends through the chemical solution.

\ D Q is a rectifier like'that which forms the subject of my before-mentioned Letters Patout, but fitted with perforated diaphragms 1'0 10 10, to detain the oil as it ascends through the chemical solution in the bottom of thevessel D. The vessel D is arranged higher than C, but connected with the top of it by a large pipe, D", and O is connected with the top of G by alarge pipe, 0", and the vessel Gis con-T nected with the neck B; of the retort. v rectifier D Q -is entered at the top by a' small pipe, g for theintroduction of theorude oil from the receiver H'H, said pipe descending to/the bottom of the vessel D below the perforated diaphragms, and from the upper part vof the vessel Dthereleads a similar pipe, 9,

which enters the topof the vessel 0' and descends nearly to the-bottom of its pan P, and the vessel 0 is connected with the pan]? by a similar pipe, 9. i From near the top of the pan The P a pipe, 3 leads into the neck 13 of the retort to conveyoil intoit, said pipe entering it 'Jnost volatile portions or products of the oil are purified with a weak chemical solutiouat low heat, said purifier being essentially like my patented inverted-siphon rectifier, and being arranged in a more elevated position'than the rectifier D'Q. The principal portion E of this purifier is connected at its upper part with the upper part of the vessel D by means I of a pipe, E", which descends nearly to the bottom of E, where it. is fitted with. a perforated diaphragm, p to cause the detention of the naphtha or other product in the chemical solution; and the upperpart of E is connected by a pipe,-F, with a leader, B, with which is connected a pipe, F, running through the wator-tank or condenser F, for the condensation of the lighter oils, the said-pipe having the form of a worm within the sai tank; The cold water is introduced constantly to-thecondenser by the pipe J, and overflows at the'top of the elevatedpipe M, which is provided with a faucet, M, to permit the water to flow from it down the pipe S to the crude-oil receiver H, forthe purpose of forcing the oil from the said receiver up the pipe U to the pipe 9, before mentioned, by which it is conveyed into the vessel D. This receiver H has in its interior a tank,I, for the reception of the residuumof the chemicals employed for purification. This tank is connect-ed at its mouth with the top of the receiver by means of perforated diaphragms T, and the pipe .5 delivers the-water above these perforated. diaphrams, so that it may produceia mingling and agitation together of the chemicalsand the oil'as the latter is caused to rise into the pipe U by the subsidence of the water in the receiver-H, the oil always floating on the water and being forced upby it, owing to the greater specific gravity of the latterr V is a well connected with the'pipe' U for the separation and reception of any water that may pass up the saidpipe with the oil. The

rece'iverH has the oil supplied to it by afunhe], 0, the mouth of which should be level with the vfloor, thatthe barrels may be rolled up to it and have their contents poured di rectly into it. v

L'L Lare leaders to convey the diflerent kinds of oil obtained by the distillation to the separate receivers provided for them, and ,Z Z I? are faucets for drawing oft the oil from the vessels 0 and G and worm -F'.

11* is a leader for conveying the residuum of. the chemical matters to the tank I. This lea'deris provided with a funnel, G, into which such residuunris drawnfrom the-vessel D by a faucet, h and the residuumfrom'the pans P P, after having been first drawn off into the bottoms of the vessels 0 C by faucets h h, is drawn ofi fromthe latter by the faucets Z Z into buckets, and from thencetransferred into the funnel G; X X are elevated leaders-like the hydraulic mains ot' gas-works, and m m are pipes leading from the-bottoms of the vessels G 0 into said leaders. '3 4 5 6 7 8 9 are gagecocks to enable the depth of oil in'the several parts of the apparatus to beascertained.

Having now described the principal parts of my improved apparatus, I will proceed to describe the mannerin which the process of distillation and rectification are performed in it. I' will firstsuppose all the faucets attached 1 to the apparatus to be closed; I open the faucetM to allow some water to run-from the overflow-pipe M of the cold-water tank F into a the receiver H to prevent oil from run-- ningjinto the siphon N, after which I open the faucet of the funnel O and empty the barrelsiof crude oil directly 'thereinto. When thereceiver has been'thusfilled with oil, I

close the faucet of 0. The basins PP, chamber D, and purifier E are then filled to a suitable depth with chemical solutions of di flerent strengths, according to the heatemployed and gravity of the oils, such solutions being run with-funnels of the pipes Q Q Q Q which combinewiththe said basins, chamber, and.

purifier toaform'invertedsiphons;

Instead of the chemicals being introduced to the pans P P in a liquid form, they may be introduced in a dry state in cages through man-holes. R R in the vessels 01C, or small lumps may be placed on, gridirons-in the upperpa-rts of the pans, chamber, and basin to purify the oil while in a state of vapor. The

chemicals used may be of any suitable kind,

but generally are either alkaline or acid. A

portion of water is next run into the retort A through the faucet Bsuificie'nt to make steam to warm the rectifiers and purifier. and the chemicals contained therein, andfire is kindled in the furnace below it, and when th apparatus is sufficiently heated I openthe faucet M to permit-water todescend through the pipe S and up through the strainers 11 where it mixes with thehot chemical residuum and is agitated withthe oil. The crude oil, being lighter than the-water, ascends in the pipe U, at the topof whichjanywater that may have i been carriednpwith'it settles in the well V, and from thence the-said oilfiowB.

down through the pipe g into the chamber D,

thence through the pipe 9, pan P, pipe g,

and pan P, entering the'saidchamber and pans at the bottom, and ascending through theperforated diaphragms p p, p p, and pp.

From the pan Pit passes oil through the pipe 3; under the dam y, and along the fiat bottom of the still-neck B, where it is exposed-to the heat of the chimney-flue Z, and through the dam a and pipe binto the body of thestill. The

oil is represented in the drawings ofa yellow sens! a color, the chemicals red, and the water blue.

As the oil flows into the chamber 0 its lighter and so on, the operation proceeding in a" similar manner through the whole series of rectifiers and the stilh'the vapors, passing upward through the pipes B C? D E and being condensed in the vessels 0 C D E or worm vJ3", according to their specific gravity. The faucets l l are left open to allow the paraffine and illuminating oils to run off to their separate receivers. When it is desired" to have the oils con dense, rectify, come in contact with chemicals, or to increase the heat farther up the series of rectifiers and chambers, the distilled oils may be retained in the lower part of one or other of the vessels 0 O by closing the faucets Z Z and opening faucets 1*. 1* higher up the pipes m m, or by pouring waste water into thesiphons ff, attached to the pipes at m'. It may be observed that it is impossible for water .to get into the'still by reason of the overflow to the vessels K K K, provided for the pipes Q Q Q*. In case the outlet of the pipe 1) gets choked with tarry residue,, the oil running into the retort A flows overthe dam a toward the retort, and when it rises in the retort above the level of the Gain a it is prevented from running back into the vessel 0 by the higher dam y and causes the oil in the basin P to rise sufficiently to increase the pressure against the lighter oils descending in the tubes 9 g 9 and cause the supply to stop running till it falls again by evaporation. It is necessary to leave height enough in the tubes Q Q Q? Q to allow the,

chemical solutions to rise and fall;-and, ac-

cordingly, when the oil rises, as described, it will cause the water in the pipe S to overflow, as it will also do when all the crude oil has left the receiver H. A wooden stick may be employed to clear the tube b, and to know the exact depth of oil in the retort A, by running it down for a moment through the cock R, and the little vapor that escapes in so doing emanates from the heavy oils and will not be liable to explode in case a spark of fire comes in contact, as all the lighter vapors pass off prior to the oil entering the retort A. Fresh chemical solutions are supplied, without impeding the process of distillation, by first running a portion of the residue out of the faucets h h h" and introducing the fresh by the pipes Q Q Q", running the residue into the tank I. The hot vapor passing from the still over the oil-surface in the basin 1? willobviate'the liability to foam over, and in case the vapor might condense to excess on said surface the basins may be covered over like P,- -havingmerely a small outlet at the top for the escape of vapor. VVhen'all the crude oil'has left the receiver H H, I close the faucet M, to prevent'the-water from running into the pipe S, and while the receiver is being. refilled the water is run off by the siphon-faucet N.; The receiver H H and tank I are emptied of water and residue, when desired, by opening faucets k and j, and

while the receiver is being refilled with petroleum the heavy oil in the retort A may be partly run down, and its vapor condensed in the lower parts of the vessels '0 G, and is pre vented from condensing in the pipe F or worm by running the water out of either one of the gas-leaders X X, allowing the gas to have free vent in ascending the pipe on or m,

and regulating the gravity of the distilled oils, as desired, till the crude oil is ready to be run off by the retort A, as before described.

In the process of distilling by this apparatus the oil, entering the apparatus at the pipe 9 and moving continuously toward the still, has its lighter portions evaporated by the heat carried off by the vapors of the heavier portions which are passing from the still in the opposite direction, and henceagreat economy otheat is obtained, which is one of the great advantages of my invention. The pro- 'cess may be continued day and night without interruption for the six working days of the week, distilling the paraffine-oils to dryness, and the apparatus having been cooled off inthe interval between Saturday night and Monday morning can be cleaned out for a fresh operation.

In large refineries several stills for distilling one kind of oil with the one kind of chemical and with their appendages, like Fig. 1, can be attached to the same leaders, like L, L, L, X, X, and F, so that the one worm and watertank, F, will be sutficient for thewhole.

Oils that are not likely to foam may be distilled and condensed in a retort constructed as represented in Fig. 2, to allow the vapor to pass underneath the basin or rectifier to be condensed, and its lighter portions to ascend in the pipe (1* and pass into the next rectifier.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The still-neck B, constructed with dams y y, and having pipesb and y, applied in combination with such dams, substantially as herein specified 2. The basins P P, placed within the chanr bers C O of the rectifiers, and in combination with the pipes Q Q, substantially as herein 3. The perforated diaphragms p p p p fp, arranged within the rectifiers, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

4. The arrangement of several rectifiers in combination with each other, with the stillretort, and with the device or apparatus for.

feeding the crude oil in such manner that the vapors of the heavier oils on their way to the condensing apparatusrmeet the crude oil on its way toward the still-retort and heat the latter oil to such an extent as to extract the vapor of the more volatile portions of it beforevit arrives at the retort 'of the still, substantiallyas herein specified.

5. The'purifier E, arranged in relation to the reetifiers, the feeding apparatus, and the worm F, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

6. The oil-receiver H and chemical-tank I and their pipes S U, funnel 0, siphon N, cocks j k, and strainers T T, the whole. combined to operate substantially as herein specified.

ABRAHAM QUINN.

Witnesses:

J AMES LAIRD, RICHARDSON GAwuug, 

